For some time, nursing mothers have had a difficult struggle in maintaining some modesty as they must nurse at times and in environments where they cannot, or simply do not want to, retreat to a more secluded place. For this purpose, mothers have attempted to cover themselves with numerous coverings or drapes, such as blankets, while nursing in more public areas.
There are many drawbacks and safety concerns in using blankets for cover. For one, the blanket covering may not provide adequate ventilation for the baby. Further, when using a blanket as covering, the blanket may not be secure and often has a tendency of slipping and revealing more than the nursing mother intends or desires. This situation is only exacerbated by a squirming infant or by a need to re-position or switch sides. Further, using blankets or other type covers often results in the safety of the child being compromised because the mother has her hands occupied trying to keep the blanket up and covering herself for privacy. Yet another concern is limited view of the nursing child, where such view is useful in order to help the child easily and properly latch on to the breast.
In response to these concerns, various types of shields have been created, which aim at protecting a nursing mother's privacy. Many of the shield designs have drawbacks, though. Often the designs do not account for different-sized mothers and infants. They are either one-size-fits-all, or only allow for limited size variability. Additionally, many designs in use do not provide the mother with a view of her child while still maintaining privacy. Another area not often addressed by the current designs is the tendency of covers to slip or open on the sides of the shields, thus reducing the overall privacy for the mother and child.